Improved harness-pad press



www@ ggg e GEORGE W. LAl/VBAUGH,

or enNnsEofuLLrNois.

Letters Patent No. 85,013, lated December 15,1868.

IMPRovED HARNESS-PAD Prusse.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE W. LAwBAUeH, of Geneseo, in the county of Henry, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness-Pad Presses; 'and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying draw- A ings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l isa perspective view of the press. Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Figure 3 is a cross-section. Figure 4 is a perspective view pad, as formed by the press.

Figure 5 is a perspective. View of the pad-holder.

Figure 6 is a cross-section of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My 'invention relates to a class of devices known as harness-pad presses, having for their object the crimping of the leather enclosing the .under side of the backpads of a harness 5 and It consists in the peculiar construction of the press, by means of which the leather is not only shaped so as to cover the pad smoothly, but is also curved in such a manner as to conform to the shape of a horses back. v

lt also consists in a suitably-constructed pad-holder, conforming to the shape of the pad-leather, and furnishing means bylwhich the pad can be securelyheld in the stitching-horse, and also serving as a guide for stitching around the edge of the pad.

I am aware that presses for shaping the pad have been known and used before; but the pads formed 'by them were straight 'upon their under side until forced to bend suliiciently to conform to the shape of the horses back, giving rise to serious objections to their use, by reason of the ridges or wrinkles formed in the leather of said pad, by curving it inwards, causing the leather to wear out more quickly, and 4hurting the back of the horse. Y l l To obviate these objections is the object of my ininvcntion, which is an improvement upon a harnesspad press, for which Letters Patent, No. 74,921, were granted me, February 25, 1868, and which it resembles in the number and oii'ice of its part-s.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the lower section or bed ofthe press, through the centre, lengthwise, of which is a sunken part or mould, corresponding in size and shape to the pad to be formed.

A cover or follower, B, conforming in shape to the bed A, is adjusted thereto.

Pivoted near one end of the bed A is a stirrup, C, which passes upward and around the follower B, and is provided at its upper side with two set-screws, cfo, which press against said follower.

of one-half of a back- A't the opposite end of the press is a hand-screw, D, which passes through the follower B, and screws into the bed A, said screw having a shoulder which bears against the upper side of said follower, as shown l in figs.' l and 2.

together. A

' The -operation of this device will be .readily understood. The leather tov be shaped is moistened, and inserted between the bed and follower, and the handscrew 'and stirrup adjusted to place. The screws are now tightened so as to press the sections together and force the vleatheriin'tothe mould, giving it the exact form and size of said mould. The leather may at once be taken out, and, after drying, is ready-for use.'`

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the lower side of the mould is curved do\vnward,lengthwise. rlhis is for the purpose of shaping the pad to the back of the horse, without bending'saidpad, and the curve may be made sharp, or otherwise, as is desired.

In figs. 5 and 6 is shown a device called a pad-holder, for use in stitching the pad and skirting, or covering, together. The holder E consists of a thin shell, of cast-iron, conforming to the exact size and shape of the pad, over which itis placed when necessary to clamp said pad in the stitching-horse. The upper edge of the holder presses against the flange or part ofthe pad-leather through which the stitches pass, furnishing a guide for placing the row, and it is evident 4that the thickness of the edge of said holder will determine the, distance of said stitches from the pad.

Secured to' the bottom, and forming a part of the of forming a support for said holder when clamped in the jaws lof the stitching-horse, it being readily seen that as one end of the holder is much heavier than the other, if the holder is held near the thin end,`the weight would cause the opposite, or heavy end, to drop down unless held in place by such means.

' lhe advantages claimed for these improvements over any in use intended for a like purpose, are- First, the pad formed by this press conforms exactly smoothly on hisv'back, by which means the pad, is caused to wear more than twice as long as those the horse. v

Second, the pad is much more easy for the horse, as it does not wear the hair efr in spots, as do those which wrinkle in shz'tping.'v

Third, by means ofthe ribs upon the bottom of the holder, which, when said holder is in use, rest upon l The object for which the stirrup G and hand-screw D are designed is to press -the sections A andB rmly holder E, are two ribs, c c, placed near the sides, and ,extending lengthwise from end to end, for the purposev to the shape of a horse, all of its under side resting v which are pressed straight, and afterwards shaped to l the top and against the bottom of the jaws of the stitchiug-horse,'the pad is held more securely in place while being stitched than could otherwise be done.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, Y v

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The harness-pad press, in which the dies are so constructed as to give the necessary curvature to the un der side of the pad, to enable it to cJnform to the shape ofv a horses back, substantially as herein shown and described. i Also, the pad-holder E, when curved in thegnanner described, and provided with the ribs e e, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 30th day of November, 1868., 

